Artist in Residence

Mighty Mud’s 2020/2021 Artist in Residence

Mighty Mud is an active, urban ceramic-centric studio comprised of two buildings (16,000 square feet combined) and a large clay shed, stocked with 30+ varieties of clay. We have 42 artist studios, with 65+ local artists renting space in those studios, and an average of 1000 students per year. Mighty Mud hosts a gallery, an exhibition space, class space, and extensive glaze and clay retail. We have 15 electric wheels, a glaze lab, 5+ indoor electric kilns, a wood fired kiln, two slab rollers, an extruder, a documentation (photo booth) area, a spray booth, and a large outdoor area for projects. Mighty Mud’s artist-in-residence program provides a unique opportunity for artists to work in a collaborative community. Artists-in-Residence are encouraged to develop their existing bodies of work and explore new processes and concepts as well as take part in studio events. The residency allows artists to shape and structure their time to ﬁt their own goals and contribute to the studio. Residents are expected to spend 10 hours per week in various roles: as a studio technician, at the retail counter, during open studio hours helping members and students, and with studio wash downs. Extra income can be earned through teaching workshop(s).

Holly Grob

Current Resident 2019/2020

Holly Grob is inspired by Place. Elements that constitute what we consider a Place, how that differs from city to city, country to country, has driven Grob in her search for artistic meaning. Travel is crucial to her practice and is how she somehow ended up living in Tennessee all the way from Billings, Montana. Observations of the difference in architecture, landscapes, social structure, culture, cuisine, and infinite others help to create Grob’s chosen form of expression in mixed media installation. Grob graduated from Montana State University Billings in 2015 with a BFA in sculpture and ceramics. Montana’s ceramic culture is unparalleled and such a thrill to be a part of that she fell in love with the medium. Since graduating, she has completed residencies at the MART Gallery in Dublin, Ireland, The Vermont Studio Center, and The Clay Studio of Missoula, Montana. In what she believes to be the ultimate expression of Place, Grob has also been working in the wine industry, participating in the 2018 harvest in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. She plans to continue traveling, but in the meantime is enjoying experiencing what Tennessee has to offer!

About the AIR Program.

AIR’s are expected be at Mighty Mud for a minimum of 20 hours a week, which includes 10 hours per week of work for the studio. The 1st three months of residency will be considered a trial period, at any time during the trial 90 days the resident or Mighty Mud can terminate the arrangement. Some everyday responsibilities include: maintaining equipment and space, promoting classes, regular posting on social media, loading and unloading kilns, mixing glazes, studio wash downs, presenting workshops, art slide talks and organizing exhibitions. Please submit the following information to our on-line application no later than June 1, 2020 (no emailed or mailed submissions will be accepted after that.)

Apply to the Artist-in-Residence Program

Requirements:

10-15 images of work completed in the last 2 years. A minimum of 5 individual pieces of artwork are required.

Resume/CV

Brief artist statement (one page maximum)

Personal statement (one page maximum) explaining what you hope to accomplish personally and what you hope to bring to Mighty Mud studio during your residency. Additionally address what speciﬁc skills and qualities make you a good ﬁt for the Mighty Mud Residency Program.

Names and contact info of 1-3 references

Residency includes:

Studio/work space in our classroom or artist group studios

Monthly stipend – $200

Clay and Glazes or glaze materials within reason

Ability to join any classes we offer free of charge

Teaching/assisting opportunities for extra pay

Solo show at the end of the residency in house or at another local gallery